Covered tray package

ABSTRACT

A tray of plastic or other relatively rigid material having a peripheral generally rectangular outwardly projecting flange is provided with an inverted tray shaped cover. The cover includes a top panel and depending side and end walls. Triangular corner areas of the side walls are adhered to corner flaps on the end walls. The walls are infolded so that there is a tendency for the portions of the side walls between the end walls to swing inwardly between the diagonal fold lines defining the triangular corner areas. This causes the upper edges of the corner flaps to engage between the rigid tray flange. The cover may be removed by pulling the side walls outwardly to swing the corner flaps out of flange engaging position.

United States Patent Dutcher [54] COVERED TRAY PACKAGE [72] Inventor: Daniel P. Dutcher, North Saint Paul,

Minn.

l-loerner Waldorf Corporation, Ramsey, Minn.

22 Filed: Jan. 13,1971

211 Appl.No.: 106,119

[73] Assignee:

[451 July 11, 1972 3,255,870 6/1966 Peck "206/4534 3,380,575 4/1968 Hennessby ..206/45.34

Primary Examiner-Davis T. Moorhead Attomey-Robert M. Dunning [57] ABSTRACT A tray of plastic or other relatively rigid material having a peripheral generally rectangular outwardly projecting flange is provided with an inverted tray shaped cover. The cover includes a top panel and depending side and end walls. Triangular corner areas of the side walls are adhered to corner flaps on the end walls. The walls are infolded so that there is a tendency for the portions of the side walls between the end walls to swing inwardly between the diagonal fold lines defining the triangular corner areas. This causes the upper edges of the comer flaps to engage between the rigid tray flange. The cover may be removed by pulling the side walls outwardly to swing the corner flaps out of flange engaging position.

2Claims,9DrawingFigures PATENTEDJUL 1 1 I972 SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVENTOR D N EI- P DUTCHER ATTORNEY COVERED TRAY PACKAGE This invention relates to an improvement in tray cover and deals particularly with a tray of plastic material or the like having an outwardly extending peripheral rim, and a paperboard cover which will normally remain assembled with the tray, but which may be readialy removed therefrom and replaced thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various means have been provided for connecting a plastic tray and a paperboard tray. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,255,870, issued June 14, 1966 to John F. Peck shows a plastic tray having an outwardly extending peripheral rim and a paperboard tray having flanges which engage against the rim of the plastic tray to hold the sections locked together. This carton has proven to be extremely effective for its intended use. When the two trays are engaged together, it is very difficult to take the trays apart without tearing or distorting the paperboard tray. This is the intention as it is not desired that the package be opened until the contents are used.

A need has recently arisen for a package including a plastic tray and a temporary cover which may be readily removed as well as easily applied. As a specific example of such a container, a plastic tray has been provided for containing a disposable razor, a small sponge, and paper towels. A cover comprises a paperboard tray. The contents are placed within the tray, and the cover is applied to the top of the plastic tray and the contents are maintained in a sterile condition. Locking means are provided on the paperboard tray which engage the flange of the plastic tray. However, when it is desired to use the contents, it is only necessary to pull outwardly on the sides of the paperboard tray, releasing the locks and permitting the cover to be removed. The cover may be readily removed by a person wearing rubber gloves. Such a package is particularly designed for use in hospitals and other institutions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In this style of paperboard tray, two opposed walls are provided with triangular comer portions at opposite ends thereof which are adhered to comer flaps on the remaining two op posed walls. The trays are glued by folding the triangular comer portions outwardly through 180 while the attached walls are folded inwardly upon the bottom panel. The comer flaps are folded into face contact with the walls to which they are hinged, and the comer flaps are adhered to the triangular areas. When used, the side and end walls are merely folded upwardly into right angular relation to the bottom panel.

With trays of this type, there is a natural tendency for the opposed walls having the triangular comer areas to bow inwardly. Accordingly, the comer flaps are usually cut to drag along the bottom panel to frictionally hold these walls from inward folding. This tendency of the two opposed walls to fold inwardly is utilized for locking the tray of this. type to the peripheral flange of a plastic container.

An object of the present invention is to provide a paperboard tray of the type known to the trade as a Beers Style tray, and to cut the comer flaps so that they terminate in spaced relation to the bottom panel when the tray is erected. The tray is applied over a container having a peripheral flange about its upper edge. By opening the paperboard tray and telescoping it onto the plastic tray, the edges of the comer flaps engage beneath the flange of the plastic tray and lock the two trays in telescoping relation. The lock is caused by the tendency for the two opposed walls to which the corner flaps are adhered to fold inwardly, swinging the comer flaps into engagement with the peripheral flange. However, if these two walls are grasped and pulled upwardly, the corner flaps are folded into face contact with the walls to which they are adhered, and the edges of the comer flaps are disengaged from the flange, permitting the cover to be removed.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the fact receptacle for the sponge and paper towels after they have been used.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the package in its completed form.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the package, the position of the section being indicated by the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the side walls folded outwardly so that the cover may be inserted or removed.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the completed package FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the cover is formed.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the blank in partially formed condition.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the blank in flat folded form at the completion of the gluing operation.

FIG. 8 is a perspective detail showing one comer of the paperboard tray in partially erected form.

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the cover in its erected form.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The completed package includes a plastic receptacle A and a cover B. The plastic tray is of generally rectangular form, and is shown in FIG. 4 as having a central partition wall 10 which divides the tray into two compartments, and a longitudinal partition 11 which divides one half of the tray into two smaller compartments. In general, the plastic tray A includes a bottom panel 12 having upwardly and outwardly inclined peripheral walls 13 which terminate in an outwardly extending flange 14 which extends about the entire periphery of the tray. In view of the fact that the specific design of the plastic tray is not of importance to the present invention, the tray is not described in great detail. The important feature of the invention lies in the provision of the outwardly projecting flange 14 which completely encircles the top of the tray A, or at least is provided adjoining the comers of the tray.

The paperboard tray is formed of the blank illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings. As indicated, the cover B includes a top panellS of rectangular form which is hingedly connected along parallel fold lines 16 to side walls 17. The top panel 15 is also connected along parallel fold lines 19 to end walls 20. The fold lines 19 are in right angular relation to the fold lines 16. Corner flaps 21 are foldably connected to the sides of the end walls 20 along fold lines 22 which are substantially aligned with the fold lines 16. Triangular wall areas 23 are formed at opposite ends of the side walls 17, the triangular areas being defined by diagonal fold lines 24 which extend diagonally across the side walls 17 from the junctures between the fold lines 16 and the fold lines 19.

The trays B are formed by folding the comer flaps 21 inwardly along the fold lines 22 into face contact with the end walls 20 to which they are hinged, and folding the side walls 17 into face contact with the bottom panel 15. Simultaneously, the triangular areas 23 are folded along the diagonal fold lines 24 to extend into face contact with the adjoining portions of the side walls 17 as indicated in FIG. 6. A suitable adhesive is applied to the triangular areas 23 or to the portions of the flaps 21 to which the areas 23 are to be adhered.

To complete the folding operation, the end walls 20 are folded inwardly along the fold lines 19 until the flaps 21 come in contact with the triangular areas 23 and are adhered thereto. The trays B are shipped and stored in this condition.

When it is desired to erect the trays, the side walls 17 are grasped and pulled into parallel relation at right angles to the panel 15. This returns the triangular areas 23 to the plane of that the cover may be inverted after removal, and used as a the trapezoidal intermediate portion of the side walls 17. In

usual practice, the corner flaps 21 extend the full height of the end walls 20, so that the edges 25 of these corner flaps will frictionally engage the panel 15 to hold the side walls from bowing inwardly. However, in the present case, the edges 25 are cut away or spaced from the fold lines 19 a distance at least equal to the thickness of the flange 14 of the tray A. As a result, the sides 17 of the tray have a tendency to bow inwardly as indicated in FIG. 9 of the drawings. The inward bowing of the sides 17 causes the flaps 21 to angle inwardly so that the lower corners 26 of the flaps 21 are spaced inwardly a substantially distance from the fold lines connecting the side walls 17 to the panel 15. Inward bowing of the trapezoidal intermediate portions of the side walls also acts through the triangular areas to swing the end walls inwardly into slightly inclined position.

When the cover B is inserted upon the tray A, the side walls 17 are pulled outwardly in the direction of the arrows 27 in FIG. 3 of the drawings. When pulled outwardly in this manner, the comer flaps 21 swing into contact with the inner surfaces of the sidewalls l7, permitting the tray to be telescoped over the flange 14. When the cover B is fully telescoped, and the outward force on the side wall 17 is released, the lower edges 25 of the comer flaps 21 engage beneath the flange 14 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings, locking the cover in place.

When it is desired to remove the cover, it is only necessary to pull the side walls 17 outwardly in the direction of the arrows 27. This action again draws the corner flaps 21 outwardly against the side walls 17, permitting the withdrawal of the cover from the tray A. This can be readily done even by a person wearing rubber gloves,

In the foregoing description, the terms side walls and end walls" have been used to differentiate between one pair of opposed parallel walls and the other. These terms are not meant to indicate that the end walls are shorter than the side walls, as the cover may be square, or the end walls may comprise the longer walls.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of construction and operation of my COVERED TRAY PACKAGE and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A package including a tray of relatively rigid material having an outwardly extending peripheral flange of generally rectangular shape, and a paperboard tray cover, the cover including:

a top panel of substantially the same rectangular shape as the flange,

side walls hingedly connected to two opposed edges of said top panel and depending therefrom,

end walls hingedly connected to the remaining two edges of said top panel and depending therefrom,

fold lines extending diagonally across said side walls from the corners of said top panel, defining triangular corner areas,

corner flaps hingedly connected to the sides of said end walls and adhered to the inner surfaces of said triangular comer areas and being free of attachment to the remainder of said side walls,

the upper edges of said comer flaps being spaced from said top panel a distance slightly greater than the thickness of said flange,

the intermediate portions of said side walls between said diagonal fold lines having an inherent tendency to fold inwardly from erect position,

the upper edges of said corner flaps engaging beneath said 2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said intermediate portions of said side walls angle downwardly and inwardly toward said relatively rigid tray, and in which outward force acting upon said intermediate portions into coplanar relation with said triangular areas, disengaging said comer flaps from beneath said flange. 

1. A package including a tray of relatively rigid material having an outwardly extending peripheral flange of generally rectangular shape, and a paperboard tray cover, the cover inclUding: a top panel of substantially the same rectangular shape as the flange, side walls hingedly connected to two opposed edges of said top panel and depending therefrom, end walls hingedly connected to the remaining two edges of said top panel and depending therefrom, fold lines extending diagonally across said side walls from the corners of said top panel, defining triangular corner areas, corner flaps hingedly connected to the sides of said end walls and adhered to the inner surfaces of said triangular corner areas and being free of attachment to the remainder of said side walls, the upper edges of said corner flaps being spaced from said top panel a distance slightly greater than the thickness of said flange, the intermediate portions of said side walls between said diagonal fold lines having an inherent tendency to fold inwardly from erect position, the upper edges of said corner flaps engaging beneath said flange.
 2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said intermediate portions of said side walls angle downwardly and inwardly toward said relatively rigid tray, and in which outward force acting upon said intermediate portions into coplanar relation with said triangular areas, disengaging said corner flaps from beneath said flange. 